Fiction-GENERAL
Book-Review-Riverstone-Ridge
~~~~~
Riverstone Ridge
by
Mandy Magro
Mandy Magro’s, Riverstone Ridge was my sixth read of this author’s works and as with Ms Magro’s works, it is set in Far North Queensland.
As 17-year-olds are prone to do Nina slipped out her window to go to a party while she was grounded. A car pulls over and she is offered a ride. When she declines, however, the sleazy driver becomes insistent and she is only saved when her high school crush also pulls up to see if all is okay. A month or so later she leaves Huntingvale, for city life, without so much as a goodbye to school friends. Only her adoptive mother Bea knows why.
Around two decades later Nina receives word that Bea has passed away. Upon her return to Riverstone Ridge and Huntingvale, Nina again meets up with her high school crush and now the local law enforcer Logan. Bea has tasked Nina with the sale of Riverstone Ridge if Nina does not want to keep it
The only questions to be answered are, will widower and local policeman Logan admit they have feelings for each other? And what information has Bea left in her five weekly letters, from the grave, being delivered by the family lawyer? And, finally, will Nina sell Riverstone Ridge, or will she find something that will keep her in Huntingvale?
I rated
Riverstone Ridge
as an enjoyable
three-star audiobook
***
At the time of writing my review
other Goodreads readers had awarded
Riverstone Ridge
an average of 4.20 stars
from 174 ratings
and 32 reviews
Riverstone Ridge
can be purchased online at
Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon
Book-Review-Five-Ways-To-Fall
Five Ways To Fall
(Ten Tiny Breaths #5)
by
K. A. Tucker
***
Five Ways To Fall is K. A. Tucker’s fifth novel in the Ten Tiny Breaths series. Again Ms Tucker has focussed on one of the original characters.
However, unlike previous offerings in the Ten Tiny Breaths series, Five Ways To Fall has but a tenuous connection to the prior books. Five Ways To Fall reduces original characters to cameo mentions and appearances at parties and social occasions. The only exception to this is Ben the good looking (and womanising) bouncer at Penny’s as he begins his career as a lawyer.
Reese, and Ben, meet in Cancun on Ben’s last night. A night that could only be described as an unmitigated disaster that Reese wanted to forget and Ben wanted to remember.
Several months later they bump into each other…at work. Reese now works as a paralegal, a brilliant one at that, at her stepfather’s law firm, where Ben has also secured a position at the firm.
Five Ways To Fall is a nice romance with an inevitable happy ending which most K. A. Tucker fans will enjoy.
I found
Five Ways To Fall
an enjoyable read and rated
Five Ways To Fall
as a solid
four star read.
***
At the time of writing my review,
other Goodreads readers have rated
Five Ways To Fall
an average of 4.30 stars
from 14,581 ratings
and 1,223 reviews.
***
Five Ways To Fall
can be purchased online at
Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon
***
Book-Review-Four-Seconds-to-Lose
Four Seconds to Lose
(Ten Tiny Breaths #3)
by
K. A. Tucker
***
Four Seconds To Lose is K. A. Tucker’s third novel in the Ten Tiny Breaths series. Again Ms Tucker has focussed on one of the original characters. This time it is strip club owner, Cain with guest appearances by all of the original Ten Tiny Breaths cast of characters
Cain has a strict no fraternizing with the dancers policy which works well until Charlie Rourke casts her shadow over his doorway, seeking a job. Being around Charlie sees all types of emotions stirred in Cain; basic, animal emotions which have lain dormant for many years. In fact, Charlie is the only dancer which Cain comes out of his office to watch, each and every night.
But Charlie is involved in shady dealings. Her step-dad is using her as a drug mule and drugs are one thing which Cain wants nothing to do with. As romance begins to blossom, Cain decides to air his dirty laundry for Charlie’s benefit. He feels his hitherto unknown past may be holding Charlie back…what he doesn’t know is that it is her past, present and future which is stopping Charlie from committing to Cain.
Another easy read from K. A. Tucker which I enjoyed immensely.
At the time of writing my review,
other Goodreads readers have rated
Four Seconds to Lose
an average of 4.20 stars
from 18,380 ratings
and 1,445 reviews.
***
I rated
Four Seconds to Lose
as an enjoyable
four star read.
***
Four Seconds to Lose
can be purchased online at
Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon
***
Book-Review-Where-She-Went
Where She Went
(If I Stay, #2)
Gayle Forman
Where She Went, sequel to If I Stay, was my second Gayle Forman read. Again the title was a tad confusing as it refers to ‘she’ however the first chapter, at least, is all about ‘he’. A minor detail, I know.
It’s three years since the accident which nearly claimed Mia’s life. Three years since Mia left Adam’s rock and roll world to pursue her studies on the East Coast. Three years since Adam and Mia had seen or spoken to each other.
Adam’s star has taken off to the extent that he wishes it had not and was contemplating leaving his band. While overnighting in New York fate ensures that Adam meets up with Mia again.
After a tentative beginning Adam and Mia soon find themselves relating old times like they had never been apart. Mia takes Adam on a tour of her city which she now calls home and slowly they revisit past opening the hearts to each other about their past, present and future; alone or together? That is the question.
After the first chapters I enjoyed
Where She Went
but only to the extent of three stars.
*****
At the time of writing my review
other Goodreads readers had awarded
Where She Went
an average of 4.01 stars,
from 270,707 ratings
and 20,385 reviews.
*****
Where She Went
can be purchased on-line at
Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon
Book-Review-One-Tiny-Lie
One Tiny Lie
(Ten Tiny Breaths #2)
by
K. A. Tucker
***
K. A. Tucker’s One Tiny Lie follows the fortunes of Livie, the sensible Cleary sister, during her first year at College. Livie is the planner of the two girls; college, exams, medical school and a good looking respectable husband.
All does not go according to plan and she soon begins to question her choices over the past few years. Are her choices for herself or is she complying with her deceased father’s wishes? With her love life a mess and her party life flourishing, straight A Livie begins her mid-terms with a C- for her favourite subject.
Has Livie turned into Miss Mediocrity? Will she ever sort out her love life? Will she cease her hard partying? And how will her sister, Kacey react when Livie tells her what has transpired during the first few weeks of her freshman year of college? Will Livie’s grades keep her at Princeton?
Surprisingly all of these question are answered if not directly, certainly indirectly. As with all good authors there is a twist which helps Livie unravel many of the problems she faces.
I found
One Tiny Lie
an enjoyable read and rated
One Tiny Lie
as a solid
four star read.
And it appears many of K. A. Tucker fans
are like minded
with 82% of readers rating it 4 or 5 stars.
At the time of writing my review,
other Goodreads readers have rated
One Tiny Lie
an average of 4.27 stars
from 35,104 ratings
and 2,422 reviews.
***
One Tiny Lie
can be purchased online at
Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon
***
Book-Review-If-I-Stay
If I Stay
(If I Stay, #1)
Gayle Forman
If I stay was my first Gayle Forman read, however, it won’t be my last. Initially I found the title confusing and nothing in the blurb gave away he plot either.
Mia is a cellist; and a good one at that. And at the tender age of 17 she is finding out that life is full of choices. Practise or hang out with friends. Practise or go to a concert. Practise or listen to her boyfriend’s band play.
An unusual fall of snow closes all schools. Mia’s family decide to go for a drive as the snow has barely covered the ground. Only a few minutes into their drive something happens which leaves Mia with only one choice to make. To go; or to stay. Where?
If I Stay was a good quick read which I enjoyed, however, I’m sure there is some among us who will not enjoy the story. I did enjoy If I Stay and although I felt the story was simply being padded at times I thought it still worthy of three stars.
The ending is abrupt, although appropriate
I rated
If I Stay
as a three
star read.
At the time of writing my review
other Goodreads readers had awarded
If I Stay
an average of 3.94 stars,
from 745,981 ratings,
and 38,989 reviews.
*****
If I Stay
can be purchased on-line at
Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon
Book-Review-The-Stockman’s-Secret
~~~~~
The Stockman’s Secret
by
Mandy Magro
Mandy Magro’s The Stockman’s Secret was my fifth of her books and as usual, it is set in Queensland.
Juliette is the step-daughter of Little Heart’s minister. Unknown to step-Dad, Juliette and Joel have been seeing each other for some time and have become a couple because both had been the target of school bullies.
Juliette and Joel are attacked one night by these bullies and Joel cannot understand why Juliette wants to keep the attack a secret.
However, when one of the bullies confronts Joel and tells Joel what he will do to Juliette next time, it is more than Joel can bear.
In a bar room brawl, Joel punches Bully. Juliette breaks up with Joel. Joel packs his bags and takes a jackaroo’s job a Rosalee station.
When Joel eventually decides it’s time to return to Little Heart, he finds things have changed quite a lot. Bully 1, is a respected doctor and Juliette’s husband is trying to make his mark on local politics. The main questions which need to be answered are: Will bully 1 get his comeuppance? Does Juliette still have feelings for Joel or is she happily married? Will Joel’s family accept his return?
I enjoyed The Stockman’s Secret.
I rated
The Stockman’s Secret
as a
three star read/audiobook
At the time of writing my review
other Goodreads readers had awarded
The Stockman’s Secret
an average of 4.08 stars
from 159 ratings
and 32 reviews
The Stockman’s Secret
can be purchased online at
Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon
Book-Review-In-Her-Wake
In Her Wake
(Ten Tiny Breaths #1.5, Novella)
by
K. A. Tucker
***
K. A. Tucker’s In Her Wake is not quite a sequel to Ten Tiny Breaths; it’s more like an addition to Ten Tiny Breaths. In Her Wake tells Trent’s side of the story right up until he and Kacey meet for the first time.
I finished reading Ten Tiny Breaths and immediately commenced In Her Wake where we hear of Trent’s back story where many How’s and Why’s are answered. In essence we hear the other side of Ten Tiny Breaths. Trent’s side, as opposed to Kacey’s pain and suffering.
In Her Wake joins the Forever Wild novella (also by K. A. Tucker) on my best novellas shelf.
Many other novellas have tried to be complete stories, end abruptly and left me wanting more. In Her Wake wrapped up loose ends on Trent’s side of the ledger in Ten Tiny Breaths.
The ending to In Her Wake was spot on. Another word or sentence would have been too much.
For the above reasons I am, again, breaking my three stars only for novellas rule and have awarded In Her Wake four stars as an addendum to Ten Tiny Breaths.
At the time of writing my review,
other Goodreads readers have rated
In Her Wake
an average of 4.1 stars
from 6,102 ratings
and 621 reviews.
***
I rated
In Her Wake
as an enjoyable
four star read.
***
In Her Wake
can be purchased online at
Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon
***
Book-Review-Ten-Tiny-Breaths
Ten Tiny Breaths
(Ten Tiny Breaths #1)
by
K. A. Tucker
***
K. A. Tucker’s, Ten Tiny Breaths follows Kacey Cleary’s life after her parents, boyfriend and best friend are killed by a drunk driver. Miraculously she survives the crash which also killed two of three occupants of the offending vehicle. Fifteen year year old Livie, Kacey’s younger sister tries to be a steadying influence while Kacey resorts to sex, alcohol and drug to ease the survivour’s guilt and pain she feels.
It takes a visit from Uncle Raymond, to young Livie’s bed, one night to bring Kacey out of her spiral. Together the girls run to Florida, rent an apartment and start a new life, with a grumpy landlord, a single mum, and a sexy good looking guy next door. Trent.
The question is not will but when will Kacey succumb to sexy good looking guy’s charms.
–
